Author Stephanie Saunders will discuss her debut novel, *Covered Buttons*, on Tuesday, Oct. 6, at 2 p.m. at the Donald W. Reynolds Library Serving Baxter County in Mountain Home. The event, part of the library’s Read-Write-Ignite Literary Series, is free and open to the public. No registration is required.
Set in the foothills of the Ozarks in 1939, *Covered Buttons* follows the journey of Thea, a 17-year-old who dreams of life beyond her small Arkansas town. The novel weaves themes of books, embroidery, and secrets stitched into buttons alongside the quiet networks of women supporting each other. Saunders said the story was inspired by the grassroots birth control movement in Arkansas during that period.
The Arkansas State Library recently selected *Covered Buttons* for a 2026 Arkansas Gem award. The annual recognition celebrates quality books either set in Arkansas or written by Arkansas authors as part of an effort to promote literacy and local talent.
Saunders, a writer and educator from Batesville, is a first-generation college graduate of Lyon College. She earned a master’s degree in 2005 and a doctorate in 2009 in Hispanic studies from the University of Kentucky. In 2011, she served as a researcher in residence at the Pontificia Universidad Católica in Chile. Her professional work includes publishing articles, book chapters, and translations in four languages across five countries.
For additional information about this event and other programs at the Donald W. Reynolds Library Serving Baxter County, visit [baxlib.org](http://baxlib.org).